The present invention relates to a return device for containers, such as bottles, cups, cans, or the like, comprising a insertion opening for receiving the container and at least one distributing means for transporting the container from the insertion opening to a selectable processing means of the return device.
Such return devices are e.g. described in EP 0 774 330 and US-A4784251. Used containers can be put into the return device via the insertion opening. The containers may be bottles of glass or plastics, plastic cups, plastic containers, aluminum cans, or the like. The containers can be processed, collected, stacked, crushed, compacted, washed or also supplied to a garbage collecting container for recycling purposes by means of the return device and corresponding processing means arranged therein.
As a rule, a user of the return device receives a coupon or a direct payment for the returned container to make its return more attractive to the user. The known return devices can be used for different containers, such as differently colored glass bottles, different types of plastics, or the like. Depending on the color of the glass or the type of plastics, the container is distributed to a corresponding receiving means. Such a processing means may e.g. be a cup stacking means, a collecting station, a crushing and/or compacting station, or the like.
It is the object of the present invention to improve a return device of the above-mentioned type such that the containers can be sorted faster and more easily in a compact way.
The object is achieved in that the distributing means comprises at least one intermediate bottom and a receiving means which is movable relative to said bottom, transports the container away from the insertion opening is provided with a bottom opening, the intermediate bottom being movably supported in the return device and comprising at least one sorting opening which can be positioned below the bottom opening for passing the container therethrough to the selected processing means.
An assignment to the selected processing means can directly be made in this way by the receiving means, and after arrangement of the sorting opening below the bottom opening of the receiving means the container is moved to the selected processing means or falls automatically through the superposed openings towards the processing means. The processing means is therefore assigned by simply adjusting receiving means and intermediate bottom.
If the processing means or corresponding feed lines to said means are arranged along a straight line, the receiving means can be moved along said straight line within the return device. If the container is arranged on the intermediate bottom above the selected processing means, it is possible by subsequent displacement of the intermediate bottom extending e.g. along the direction of movement of the receiving means to arrange the sorting opening disposed in said intermediate bottom between bottom opening of the receiving means and processing means. The container will then fall through the superposed openings towards the processing means.
To simplify the assignments of the containers relative to the corresponding processing means, a support plate can be arranged within the return device; the support plate has a number of passage holes each assigned to at least one processing means and the intermediate bottom is movable relative to said support plate for arranging the sorting opening between bottom opening and selected passage hole. The processing means can be connected to the corresponding passage holes in a way which is known per se.
For inserting the container through the insertion opening directly into the receiving means in a simple way, the receiving means may comprise a shell which can be assigned with its open side to the insertion opening. The shell is opposite to the insertion opening in the case of a corresponding assignment, so that the container can directly be inserted by a user into the shell. After the insertion opening has been closed manually or automatically, the shell is then positioned with the container above the corresponding processing means or above the passage hole assigned thereto and the container will fall towards the selected processing means after displacement of the sorting opening down to and below the bottom opening.
To obtain a compact return device of a particularly simple construction, it is possible that the intermediate bottom is circular and rotatable about its center axis. The sorting opening may here be arranged at a corresponding place within the circular intermediate bottom.
The sorting opening is of a simple design if the opening is designed as a radially outwardly open peripheral recess of the intermediate bottom.
To give the receiving means a simple and inexpensive design as well, the shell can be rotatably supported coaxially relative to the center axis of the intermediate bottom. It is in this way that the shell is first rotated into the corresponding position, and after a subsequent rotation of the intermediate bottom and arrangement of the sorting opening below the bottom opening of the shell the container will fall through the corresponding passage hole of the support plate towards the processing means.
An advantageous embodiment of the invention is possible, wherein a bearing shaft projects substantially in vertical direction from the support plate and has rotatably supported thereon the shell and/or intermediate bottom. A separate support of shell and intermediate bottom within the return device can thereby be dispensed with because these are directly supported on the support plate.
The bearing shaft may be designed as a rod-like shaft or as a hollow shaft.
A simple arrangement of the passage holes is possible, wherein said holes are arranged along a circle in concentric fashion relative to the intermediate bottom. Each passage hole can thereby be reached by corresponding rotation of the intermediate bottom and the shell, respectively, and shell, passage hole and sorting opening are here arranged with a corresponding radial distance relative to the center axis or bearing shaft.
The container can e.g. freely fall from a passage hole into a collecting container. Likewise, it is possible to supply the container in a selective way to the processing means, for example via guides. Advantageously, a guide can extend from each passage hole to the corresponding processing means. The guides may be designed in the manner of a chute or pipe or in another way that is known per se. Likewise, it is possible to transport the container by the guide (see e.g. EP 0 718 811), wherein the containers are transported along a circular path from a receiving point to a washing means and then to a discharge point.
To sort the containers as much as possible, at least one identifying means may be assigned to the insertion opening and/or the receiving means and/or the support plate and/or the intermediate bottom for identifying at least one characteristic feature of the container. Such a characteristic feature is e.g. material, color, size, weight, or the like. Such an identifying means may be constituted by a camera, a bar code reader, see EP 0 766 188, a light barrier, optical-fibers, or the like. On the basis of the result of identification, glass containers, for example, can be sorted and processed in accordance with their color. Likewise, the type of plastic material can be detected, for example by means of a bar code printed on the container, and the container can be transported to the appropriate processing means.
In particular, in order to be able to sort the containers according to their shape, the characteristic feature recognized by the identifying means may have the geometrical shape of the container.
To be able to classify the containers in a simple way as to different profiles or geometrical shapes, a storage and/or evaluation means may be assigned to the identifying means, in particular for storing different geometrical shapes of the containers and for comparing a container to be recognized with a stored shape. For instance, a profile that has already been stored is compared with the container to be recognized and the geometrical shape of the inserted container is recognized through a corresponding algorithm.
To be able to check the inserted container in a simple way with the identifying means and also to be able to input various geometrical shapes for storage in the storage means, the identifying means may be designed as a scanning means and may be movable relative to the container to be scanned. This means that the identifying means also serves to store a corresponding profile or a corresponding geometrical shape and, later, to actually check an inserted container and to transmit the corresponding profile or shape data to the storage and/or evaluation means. Examples of such an identifying means are ultrasonic or laser beam sensors which move towards a fixed container, a fixed sensor relative to which the container moves, or the like. It is also possible that a simultaneous movement of sensor and container takes place for identification.
In particular in the evaluation unit, a comparison is then made between received profile or shape or stored profile or shape via an appropriate algorithm.
A simple support for the intermediate bottom may be that said bottom comprises a central rotational sleeve which is rotatably attached to the bearing shaft of the support plate.
By analogy, the shell can be held by means of a radial arm by a bearing sleeve which is rotatably attached to the rotational sleeve.
If the bearing shaft of the support plate is formed by a hollow shaft, it is possible that the rotational sleeve of the intermediate bottom is rotatably supported in the hollow shaft of the support plate and that a bearing shaft of the receiving means is rotatably supported in the rotational sleeve. The shell can again be held by said bearing shaft by means of a radial arm.
A simple and exact automatic control for the return device may be obtained in that the shell of the receiving means and of the intermediate bottom are rotatable in accordance with signals of the identifying means. The return device may possess corresponding means for signal processing and for controlling the movements, such as for example a microprocessor, or the like. Moreover, it is possible to input the type of container from the outside on the return device, so that a control is carried out within the return device in accordance with said input signals.
The intermediate bottom may also be sector-shaped for reasons of costs and for saving material.